Creating in the Kitchen

I have been feeling rather productive lately.  VERY productive, in fact!!  One thing that our family has done this year to try to spread the grocery budget a little further is that we have signed up to a CSA (Community Shared Agriculture).  I do not enjoy going to the big box grocery stores; I find it rather stressful.  First stress...the prices; second stress...too many choices.  I miss our local grocer who knew who you were and had all the necessities.  It was amazing what they could fit into those little grocery stores.  I miss the hardwood floors and the fresh produce in the bins outside.  I miss the grocer standing on the sidewalk sweeping and giving us each a free piece of fruit when mom would take us to the store.  I miss really knowing WHERE my food is coming from!  This takes me back to the CSA.  I recently read about it in a magazine from the states and started wondering if anything like that existed in Nova Scotia.  Flash forward about 2 hrs when I go to pick my daughter up from music and there, in the parking lot, is a van with something written on it about a local CSA.  I jotted down what I could still see of the farms name and started searching.  Flash forward a month and we are LOVING our weekly deliveries from Taproot Farms and Noggins (http://www.taprootfarms.ca/csa#box).  I just have to drive down the road and pick it up from the nursery at the end of our road....good bye giant box store and flavourless produce....hello fresh from the farm (and I know where the farm is and the name of the owners).  I love that I now get produce that I would never have thought to buy before and that it is making me want to cook again!!  Here are some of the things that I have been up to lately...

Fresh Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Homemade Zucchini Bread

The beginning of Carrot Cake with multicolour carrots.

At first I thought there was no way we could afford it however, it is reassuring to know that in a few weeks all of my veg and fruit produce will be paid for, for the year (52 weeks).  We are saving money on less frequent trips to the grocery store and spontaneous buying AND we are supporting local agriculture.  In terms of our grocery budget....probably the smartest thing we have ever done.  Next year, we may add on their meat share.

ps I should also mention that I have another crockpot of koolaid dying on my counter with wool from the valley.

I love shopping local!

Later this same day.....

The fleece out of the crockpot and drying.  Looking forward to spinning some of it tomorrow!